Michelle Bachman Will Form Exploratory Committee

Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachman stated today that she in fact will form a Presidential exploratory committee by June and is seriously considering launching a full-fledged run in 2012. Bachmen is a Tea Party favorite and carries strong support amongst the Republican base.

Michele Bachmann plans to file presidential exploratory committee papers in early June, according to a report on Thursday.

While she’s made a big splash of traveling to early voting states, Bachmann has so far been coy on her 2012 aspirations, telling reporters that she’ll make a decision in summer.

Citing an unnamed source, CNN says Bachmann may jump that self-imposed deadline if launching a committee becomes a requirement to participate in the three GOP presidential primary debates in May and early June.

CNN also reports that she had hired Iowa Republican state Sen. Kent Sorenson to be her state political director. Bachmann Chief of Staff Andy Parrish told the news outlet that the congresswoman aims to have political teams in New Hampshire and South Carolina “within a week.”

This would certainly shake up the field. In our “Who’s Running in 2012” page, I didn’t even have Bachman on the radar but she has since been added to a likely contender.

Nate Ashworth is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for almost a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016.